Don't Fall Asleep
by Simple Shimmers
Summary: Something was wrong with him. He didn't wake up in his apartment, or with Kuma. He wasn't in New York where there was supposed to be a G8 meeting. Instead, he was in a forest. The trees gnarled and looming. Eerie whispers in the wind, and shadows lurking in every corner. He was scared, because this was his worst fear. His mind. His nightmare.


Shimmers: Hey guys! I finally decided to post this after going through my stuff in my flash drive. I've been wanting to post a Hetalia story for awhile, but I have serious issues with confidence. Took me a lot of time to gather up the nerve to actually want to upload this. I hope everyone likes it. By the way, I made Mattie the older twin because America's independence was the 4th of July and Canada's on the 1st. Man, I'm can't believe I'm doing this...;

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Prologue

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When the personified nation of Canada got up that morning, he knew the day was going to be terrible. His head was throbbing rhythmically. Sighing, the blond held a cold hand to his forehead. He groaned at the refreshing coolness radiating against his flushed skin. Today would not a good day. He just knew it.

Matthew forced himself out of bed with a loud yawn. A quick glance at his alarm clock told him exactly what he needed to know; 4:22 A.M. Today the meeting of the G8 was in America. And despite his brother forgetting his very existence, he was actually looking forward to it. "You can do this," he mumbled to himself under his breath, "just hang on."

With that said, the blue-eyed male rose from his warm nest of blankets and padded to the bathroom. Nothing but getting ready for the day on his mind. Matthew quickly brushed his teeth and shed his sweaty pajamas. He noticed his reflection in the mirror and turned to look at it. He wanted to hurl. His pale skin now had a sickly undertone to it, his expressive eyes had dark circles under them, and even his wierd-ass curl was drooping. He was the picture of sickness, and that made him feel worse.

Matthew shook his head furiously. Now was not the time to suffer through angst. That was his brother's thing. He turned the knob for hot water and waited patiently for the steam to appear. The blond shivered weakly; however he steeled himself. A hot shower should do him good, considering the unexpected chills and unwelcome heat he was constantly getting. It was as if someone was messing with his internal thermostat. For some reason he pictured a chibi Alfred sniggering madly and messing with the dial. He managed a dry laugh at that.

Finally seeing the evaporated water, Matthew entered the shower. He closed his eyes in pleasure as the droplets cascading on him. It made him feel so clean, so pure, and so nice. He wished he could be in the heat forever. To always feel warm and never have to deal with the cold. Matthew stood in the blistering hot water, only feeling warm not burned. It was only when he opened his eyes and saw his reddening skin that he lowered the temperature.

Feeling upset at the loss of his happiness, Matthew went through the motions of taking a shower. Once he was done, he stared longingly at the knob. Wanting to twist it again and be enveloped in heat, but he knew better. The blue-eyed man exited the shower hastily and dried himself with a fluffy white towel. He could feel his body warmth lower and deep, deep inside of him, he felt annoyance flicker. Ignoring the spark of irritation, he dressed himself in his arctic outfit.

Matthew slipped on his goggles and glanced at the mirror again. His sickly body hidden from prying eyes and the only thing that could link to his exhaustion was the circles under his eyes. Although he had nothing to worry about. No one really cared about him, or even _saw_ him for that matter. A wet nose nudging his clothed leg brought him out of his trance.

The cold weathered nation looked down and locked eyes with beady black eyes. A furry white body pressed against him, attempting to project a sense of comfort. Matthew felt it and reached down to pet the animal. "Thanks Kumajirou." He said, although it came out as a breathy whisper.

Kumajirou looked up at his master with concerned eyes. He knew this man, his owner, never remembered his name. No matter how tired he was. Yes, something was very wrong with his human. He only hoped that it wasn't dangerous. "Okay?" He asked. It was times like this he hated his inability to speak fully.

Matthew gave the polar bear a weak smile. "Yeah. I'm okay, just a tiny bit sleepy." He knew it was a lie. He didn't just feel sleepy, he felt like he was dying. He knew he was probably exaggerating. As a nation he couldn't get ill or die, unless his country was facing conflicts. Which wasn't the case seeing as Canada was doing well. The blond felt a tiny trickle of guilt as Kumajirou's orbs stared into his soul.

"Alright." The white furred animal said reluctantly. It was obvious the talking bear didn't approve of his answer. "Leave?" His oldest companion asked impatiently. Matthew knew the meaning behind those words. 'Are we leaving yet?' his mind instantly translated.

The man tugged at his coat absentmindedly as he pondered about leaving. What time was it? He left the bathroom with the small white body on his heels. His rented apartment's alarm clock flashed 5:00 AM obnoxiously. It faintly reminded him of his younger brother. He chuckled lightly. Even though his brother's irritating presence wasn't anywhere near him, he still felt anxiety settle in his stomach. "No, Kuma. It's still too early."

"Meeting?" Was the immediate response. 'Are you still going to the meeting?' was the interpreted message.

"I'm still going," Matthew said gently, "just not now."

The polar bear huffed back. "Stay? Worried." The animal stared up at his owner's pale face. The human was attempting to hide his weakness. Kumajirou could sense it as he was linked to the man. He could feel his fatigue, his pain, and his denial. The furry mammal could only wish that his sensitive human would be fine. 'Will you stay? I'm worried.' He wanted to say. "Stay?" He repeated, the sentence coming out broken. "Worried."

Matthew ruffled his companion's fur and nodded. "Of course I'm fine. Work has been driving me insane. I think that today is just one of those days." Matthew could tell his lie was transparent. The accusing look in Kumajirou's eyes only proved it. He sighed deeply before looking at the clock again. It was now...5:30 AM. He was to show up to the meeting at exactly 2:00 PM, and leave three hours later. Then he was off on his lonesome for another month.

"Sleep." The child-like voice ordered. Matthew looked down again to see his furry companion's eyes narrow. "Sleep. Now. Rest."

He smiled at Kumajirou with as much energy as he could muster. "Alright." He walked over to the single bed pushed up against the corner of the room. He toed his boots off with practiced ease and fell forwards onto the blankets. The earlier heat was now gone, leaving the bed cold and stiff. Matthew could hear Kumajirou lumber towards the bed and climb up.

The blond had to hide his smile when the polar bear snuggled up to him. "Sleep." Came the dazed demand. Matthew couldn't help but listen when his body was suddenly hit with lethargy. His mind drifted as the sounds of the room became distant. The humming of the fan, the slow breathing of Kumajirou, and even the bustling city noises. The only thing that crossed his mind before he was lost in darkness was; 'I hope I never wake up.'

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Shimmers: What do you guys think of it? I'm pretty darn proud of it right now. I'm sorry about the whole 'weird-ass' curl thing. I needed some relief from writing something so...unhappy. Anyways, I'd like to thank Aulophobic Clarinetist for her awesome Romanada stories. Be sure to check out Pancakes and it's sequel, Pizza! :)


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